A new U.S. study shows that the exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA), the chemical compound used in the linings of metal food and beverage cans and baby bottles, may reduce the efficacy of chemotherapy treatments.
Over 2.2 million tons of BPA are produced annually but concerns have arisen over the chemical since it has been found to migrate in small amounts into foods and beverages stored in the containers, especially upon heating, and some recent animal studies indicated that high levels of BPA could be carcinogenic.
The findings of a study from researchers based at the University of Cincinnati concluded that BPA generates a group of proteins that protect cancer cells from the toxic effects of chemotherapy.
The study was published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives and was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Defense and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
The researchers, led by Nira Ben-Jonathan, explained that they subjected human breast cells to low levels of BPA, consistent with levels found in the blood of human adults.
Source: FoodProductionDaily.com